West New York, NJ Public Conduct: Public Alcohol Use (2026)

Chapter 114, Article VII of the Code of the Town of West New York covers consumption in public. Section 114-35 prohibits consuming any alcoholic beverage, including beer, wine, whiskey, cordial and mixed drinks, in public parks, public places, public buildings, and on public streets and sidewalks in the Town of West New York. The named locations are the Municipal Building, the Public Library, all municipal parking lots, municipal pool facilities, and public schools with their surrounding school facilities and property. The list is expressly not limited to those sites.

Section 114-35.1 creates a second offense: possessing an open container holding an alcoholic beverage in the same categories of places. The offense is written around the container, so it applies even if nobody has taken a sip. The Board of Commissioners' preamble to the article names law enforcement problems, noise, rowdy behavior, litter and broken glass as the reasons, and says open containers lead to drinking in those areas.

Two venues sit outside the article: Hudson Hall and the West New York Recreation Center, where permission has been granted by the appropriate governmental authority. Section 114-36 also permits supervised civic, patriotic, fraternal, charitable and religious festivals, observances and events, subject to alcoholic beverage control laws and regulations, but only upon application to and approval of the Board of Commissioners.

Separately, Section 114-35.5 makes it unlawful for a person under the legal age to knowingly possess or consume alcohol on any private property in the Town, and for the person in control of that property to permit it. Subsection B exempts religious observances authorized by a parent or guardian and possession in the presence and with the permission of a parent or guardian of legal age. Subsection C sets fines of $100 to $200 for a first offense and $200 to $300 for any subsequent offense, and Subsection D lets the Municipal Judge order 24 hours of substance abuse counseling.